Archive for January, 2009

Fed up with her damp new life in Washington, Coraline discovers a whole better world behind the walls. Acceptance into a new family, though, comes at a price. Based on Neil Gaiman’s story, this stop-motion labor of love from Henry Selick looks like a horror film for children.

Finnish director Jukka Karkkainen takes a look through the keyhole at six different families. With its long takes and long shots, the scrutiny can be unforgiving. In this clip featuring Tero and Saku from Temmes, we witness a bonding session between son and father-to-be that’s an alcohol-fuelled combination of slapstick, hockey and shameful voyeurism.

One of Jean-Luc Godard’s hardest-to-find films, based on a Richard Stark story and the final feature-length kiss-off to his cinematic muse Anna Karina. Characters named Richard Widmark and Robert McNamara make appearances, as does Marianne Faithfull. Due for re-release by Rialto on April 1.

Not sure how legit this is, but anything new by Hayao Miyazaki is cause for celebration. This Ghibli spin on The Little Mermaid features its own sing-a-long-a-theme tune. More trailers should have them.

Old Joy helmer Kelly Reichardt’s next film is also based on a story by Jon Raymond called “Train Choir.” Wendy is headed to Alaska with her dog Lucy, leaving behind her some unspecified disaster and looking to find some honest work. Her trip isn’t without its setbacks. Survival has never seemed so stark in Bush’s America.

You’re missing: two young girls are left on their own in Seoul while mom searches for their father. Hankies at the ready. In Between Days director So Yong Kim was inspired in equal parts by Yasujiro Ozu and Hirokazu Kore-eda. Music is by dream poppers Asobi Seksu. Below, the Korean-American filmmaker discusses her second feature film.

Is the new Jean-Luc Godard from Mexico? That’s the buzz that’s been building around Gerardo Naranjo’s fifth film. A pair of teens from opposite sides of the tracks take their sorta love on the run. Their rebellion is tinged with an escapism informed by pop culture. The trailer is both seductive and like getting fed way too much cinematic cake.

The course of gay love never did run smooth … especially if it’s in Hong Kong. Scud’s autobiographical feature has drawn attention for its graphic nudity …some of which is on display in this NSFW trailer. The Chinese version of Savage Garden’s “Truly Madly Deeply” also hurts a little.

It’s the Dardennes. So it’s going to have a girl, Jeremie Renier, a camera operated by a monkey with the DTs, and be set in some Belgian hellhole. The monkey, at least, seems to be on vacation. Arta Dobroshi is Lorna, an Albanian immigrant involved with human contraband. Silence was a best screenplay winner at Cannes 2008.